1950s American Concept Cars Archives

Pontiac Club de Mer

The Pontiac Club de Mer prototype was inspired by land speed record cars. Head of design Harley Earl – and studio leader Paul Gillian – were given the styling brief. It went without saying that ‘space-age’ imagery – pretty much ubiquitous in the ’50s – would get its foot in the design door, too!

The most obvious lift from LSR cars was the shark-like stabilising fin at the rear. The front-end featured retractable headlights. The low nose tapered into a blunt arrowhead. Two chrome bands flowed up to air scoops at the back of the hood. The Club de Mer was a shoo-in for the ’56 ‘Motorama’. It acquitted itself well – alongside GM’s other ‘dream car’ exotica.

Not that the Club de Mer was all style, and no substance! Beneath the aerodynamic hood was a 4,392cc 300bhp V8. First and foremost, though, the car was a trend-setter. ‘Club de Mer’ evoked Meditteranean panache. That was blended with all-American élan. A tad outlandish for some, perhaps … but then, the Pontiac Club de Mer was was in ‘show’ business!

Oldsmobile Golden Rocket

In the mid-Fifties, Oldsmobile’s image looked decidedly dowdy. The Golden Rocket would fix that. As a ‘dream car’ concept, it was never destined for the open road. Its purpose was to fire up Oldsmobile’s creative energies again. A missile on wheels, the Golden Rocket’s mission was to blaze a trail for Oldsmobile roadsters to come. To that end, it featured in the ’56 Motorama. It toured the US as part of GM’s state of the art automotive show. Fast-forward a year and a half – to ’58 – and the Golden Rocket could be seen tripping the light fantastic in France. The car was a must-see exhibit at the Paris Motor Show, that year.

When it came to its shape, the Golden Rocket’s stylists went ballistic – literally! Space-age design was all the rage at the time. Oldsmobile went to town with it. In profile, it was more like a projectile than a car. With its chromium nose – and ‘bullets’ back-end – the Golden Rocket was a startling statement of intent. A set of ‘shark fins’ only added to the suspense!

Inside, too, the Golden Rocket stood out. When a door was opened, it triggered an automatic response. The roof-panel pivoted up. Simultaneously, the seats rose 3″ – and swivelled invitingly. The steering-wheel’s position was adjustable. The Golden Rocket, then, was more than a mere showcase – it was a technical test-bed. This was a heady time to be an automotive designer. The future seemed up for grabs – with anything possible. Saying that – with its venerable V8 engine – the Golden Rocket was not entirely divorced from the past. But – on the whole – the idea was to innovate. In that regard, it was like a breath of fresh air in Detroit. Garbed in shimmering plastic, the Oldsmobile Golden Rocket promised a brave new motoring world!

Dodge Firearrow

The Dodge Firearrow was an American-Italian collaboration. Coachbuilders Carrozzeria Ghia – based in Turin – finessed the fine details. Their craftsmanship was second to none. Resplendent in red – and sporting a polished metal belt-line – the Firearrow was an elegant, well-proportioned automobile.

Ghia liaised with Virgil Exner. He was chief stylist for the Firearrow. Exner – and his colleagues in the Chrysler art department – came up with a clean and tidy design. Restrained and tastefully-placed lines were the backdrop for a plethora of neat features. The way the bodywork overhung the wheels was a sweet touch. Inside, the wooden steering wheel bespoke class. Twin seats were sumptuously upholstered.

The Dodge’s engine was an all-American V8. 152bhp shot the Firearrow III coupé up to 143mph. The Firearrow timeline was a long one. It started out as a show car mock-up. A working prototype duly followed. Decked out in yellow – and with wire wheels – it featured in ’54’s Harmony on Wheels extravaganza. After that – along with the coupé – came the Firearrow and Firebomb convertibles. The idea was just to whack a bit of wow factor back into the jaded Dodge brand. But – so big a hit were they with the public – that a limited production run was soon mooted. It was privately funded – by Detroit’s Dual Motors. 117 Firebomb replicas were built. They went under the name of the Dual-Ghia. Virgil Exner – and his feverish work ethic – had delivered on two fronts. Dodge received its much-needed facelift. And the Firearrow lit up the landscape, in its own right!

Chrysler K-310

The K-310 was a Chrysler/Ghia collaboration. It was facilitated by Fiat. The firm had approached Chrysler – with a view to the American giant helping streamline its manufacturing process. Chrysler immediately spotted a symbiotic relationship. They could benefit from Italian craftsmanship. Subsequently, Ghia and Pininfarina – two of the great automotive design houses – built and submitted bodywork to Chrysler. Ghia got the gig. Their brief had been the Plymouth XX-500 saloon. Whilst slightly underwhelmed by the mock-up’s looks, Chrysler were in awe of Ghia’s coachbuilding skills. They liked the price, too!

Over to Virgil Exner – Chrysler chief designer. He was tasked with penning a prototype. Exner came up with the K-310. Drafts and scale models of the new car were dispatched to Turin – home to Ghia HQ. In due course, Chrysler were sent back a fully-fledged roadster. The invoice was just $20,000. Kaufman Keller was pleased. He was Chrysler’s president – and the man who put the ‘K’ in K-310. Ghia had brought to glittering life, Exner’s sculpted lines and low profile design. The car was laden with exotic features. Most notably, the enlarged wheels were highlighted by whitewall tyres – and generously-sized arches. The front-end was adorned by a diminutive ‘egg-crate’ grille. At the back, the shape of the spare wheel embellished a moulded boot lid.

Innovative as the K-310 was visually, in one respect, at least, Chrysler’s song remained the same. To wit, the booming baritone from the car’s V8 engine. Indeed, it could be heard all around Auburn Hills, Michigan – Chrysler’s home town. With ’51’s K-310 concept car, Virgil Exner went out on a limb, aesthetically. And thanks to Ghia, Chrysler was now competing on every front – including craftsmanship!